10Gbit/s at your fingertips: RTG cranes provided with high-speed data

Container handling is a vital element in global logistics, from European ports along the North Sea to the ports on the east coast of China. RTG cranes load and unload containers from the ships, as well as arrange them in columns, side by side and stack. An increasing number of these RTGs switch from diesel to electric power, as they move between the stacks, to reduce energy costs and environmental emissions. They therefore need a reliable connection to an energy supply.

In addition, these RTG cranes have connected intelligence, often with HD video cameras fitted, and therefore need access to a secure data network.

The igus d-rover data transmission system connects to the gantry crane via a retractable and extendible telescopic arm, thus ensuring an uninterrupted high-speed data transmission. In this way, maximum data rates of up to 10Gbit/s are feasible with chainflex fibre optic cables, even with travels of 800m and more. There are no restrictions for the travel speed of the RTGs.

Alongside the d-rover, igus offers the e-rover, which powers the electric motors that drive the RTG cranes. Once a gantry crane has been ‘plugged in’ to the energy chain system, the diesel engine turns off. As with the d-rover, the e-rover system uses a retractable and extendible telescopic arm. This has two benefits; it enables automatic coupling and the energy chain moves with the RTG cane, and compensates for horizontal and vertical unevenness and misalignments during travel.

Additionally, the e-rover system can guide both power and data simultaneously, guaranteeing a continuous supply.